Ya, Slowpoke scored 2 goals at today’s lacrosse, but her team still lost.
Archive for Saga
Ice skating
Sarah Hughes in the background. … what happened to that elfin Sasha Cohen?
I stayed around after dropping off Slowpoke at ring tonight. She’s been ice skating with her g/fs lately and I’m very happy now that she could actually enjoy it with her friends, than say going to hang out at malls or doing nothing, lol… I sat at the hall after taking some pictures. Felt bit lost: it’s as if only yesterday that I took them to ice skate. Kinglazy had all kind of trouble, either his feet hurt or he’s tired, or thirsty for hot chocolate or water, or bathroom run … when Slowpoke ran straight into the ring once I laced her up. I was surprised for she’d never skate before. To keep up with her, I took ice skating lessons too. It’s a regulation size, large enough to hide on the other end from her, lol. Oh, Golfer encouraged me to join the ice hockey league! Hey, people didn’t you know it’s not my sport? … Actually it’s been a decade … The girls were very sweet to each other. We were 40 minutes late and they rushed out from the ring to greet Slowpoke. …
Are my chauffeuring days numbered?
Her first goal
Yep, my baby scored her first goal at lacrosse. I’m soo darn proud of her … we had drinks … although they lost 3 only won 1 so far: too many girls and the coach’s reluctant to make 2nd cut. They had one cut only that only eliminated few and still with 50 on the team. I’m not kidding you. The Dukies are really inspiring, lol… ok, that’s a bad joke. But I really don’t understand why they should entertain 50 girls when only 20 or so are needed. So everyone who wishes to participate can join .. but on the other hand are we teaching the girls that no matter what, as long as they wish, they deserve on the team regardless of their own merit? A thin line. Ok, it’s beyond me, the housewife, huanglianpo, lol … I’ll stop.
Slowpoke in skirt
Slowpoke came home with her lacrosse uniform, top and skirt, in blue … I need to sneak a pic for the record.
Brotherly love
Craig is kind of coach who takes his coaching rather seriously: 15 minutes into the 1-hr lesson, two brothers showed up (the coach/student ratio is 1:4).
“How nice to see you after 2 months! Or was it 3 months?” Craig exclaimed.
The taller one couldn’t be more than 10 years old, and both of them are demanding and vocal, dressed with oversized t-shirts and long pants. Oddly, they both have the figure as a bit of out of shape 50-year old. The younger one said he didn’t like his racket and wanted to use Craig’s.
He got his wish.
When the kid complained again, Craig told him …
“It’s not the racket, it’s the hand holding it…” – We teased Waldo all the time that he should buy a left hand racket, lol or better yet, buy a game 🙂 … –
The older one complained that he can’t hit back hand.
“Well, then you should have come often, so I can teach you.” Craig told him. The brothers can’t play. But apparently Craig took it perhaps as an insult that his students didn’t come.
Many coaches would have been happy or careless that 2 of his lousy students absent for a long period of time. As soon as they walked in, Craig whispered to me ..
“You’ll enjoy this…”
I did.
The brothers appear to be brat, but they were really sweet to each other. The younger one fall, and the older one picked him up and dusted him off. They each told Pumpkin when one of them is teamed up with her ‘to hit the ball to his bro …” I cheered for all of them.
When it was 4:4 and the bros were in the same team, they would each shout to other,
‘Are we losing?’
“4:4” .. Craig repeated.
“Are we losing?” they shouted again.
Another kid AJ said across the court,
“It’s 4:4”
“So we’re winning then?” The older bro insisted ..
LOL …
I love tennis
Slowpoke took her first lesson with Kerner and enjoyed it. Kerner is a slim man with only-god-knows age, has husky voice: don’t know it’s his natural or teaching (yelling) too much. After all, the court is huge and you are not likely to be there alone. He gave her an evaluation, by the time they got to her bank hand valley, he said, “well, if you’re strong enough, you can consider using single hand back hand valley …” She just did that, with a gracious slice. I was floored: it’s beautiful, almost picture perfect. Ok, textbook perfect, to be political correct. Where on earth did you learn that I asked. “Watching TV …” ??? “Since when you actually watch tennis on TV? You only watch Will & Grace … ” I floored once more: I watch the Opens every year and picked up nothing, :-(. During one of the coachings at the net, Kerner asked what’s her most favored sport? She didn’t reply immediately, as usual. Kerner said, “I teach tennis, but my favor sport is soccer …” Perhaps thinking between starvation or a delicious dinner … you know that’s how I treat my kids… :), she surprised me by saying, ‘tennis’. Do you really, really? I nearly tossed her into the air … well, that’s untrue, but you can use your imagination. After the lesson, she whispered, “I like Kerner, he’s strict yet humorous.” Should I press her for saying like tennis the most among swimming, skiing and lacrosse…?
I want more discipline
We woke up to a sunny day. Since Slowpoke n her g/fs decided not to attend the service (of a Bat Mitzvah), so she’s free till 6pm. “How about some tennis?” Sure. Should I call Katie? K is taking her lesson with Martin at 1:30. No, mom, I want to play with you. How flattering! Slowpoke kept up with me, moving me from left to the right; and she knew she was often late for her forehand. I told her to keep a plan in mind, not just moving me, but make it point of moving me to the side she actually intended. She’s hitting really well.
When we begin to play a game, that’s when she showed her frustration: her serve was inadequate. After only two games, she said she’d like to practice serving. By the time she finished a basket (of balls), Kerner’s lesson was over, and as usual, he came over to give Slowpoke some advice. Her grip is all wrong, he said … It brought back some early memory of myself when I started learning to serve. For the first few lessons on serving, I felt totally out of control. But after used to the motion, I was ok with it. After Kerner left for his next lesson, to my surprise, Slowpoke said she’d like to take lesson from him, “I want more discipline.” I felt my jaw was dropping. So she’s serious, or at least she knows what she needs to do to improve. I had wanted her to try Craig too, but never connected with him. I think different coaches would give you some insight that others won’t, and I told her about this.
Martin once said that when he was a kid, he played with Kerner who’s already coaching. But looking at Kerner, I’d guess him as 30ish – Martin laughed, ‘no way … black men don’t age.’ Kerner has a 20 years old daughter who plays tennis. So much for my guessing, lol. Kerner has concession of this local park and he keeps it pretty neat. I didn’t start playing there again till last year with Andy, Alex, etc. The park has a decent size pool and a picnic area. It used to be empty. Last year I realized every weekends the park were packed, which is very annoying and noisy, plus the fumes, and we weren’t invited to the party to boot, lol. Thank god Kerner is around, provides a little authority figure in an otherwise deserted park. He’s always been nice to us, making small chat and giving short brief coaching. But back then the kids didn’t seem to take to him as they took to Martin. Now that Slowpoke asked for Kerner (instead Martin), I am very happy to oblige, in a way I could reciprocate Kerner’s kindness or good salesmanship.
Martin the coach
Martin hustles.
It’s last year this time when I met him as kids took the week long spring break lessons at the sport center in town. He taught Kinglazy’s group. On the last day, he came out during one of the water breaks, and said to me,
“Oh, your son can play.”
Pardon me? I almost felt off the chair, or thought having hearing problem, for Kinglazy is kind of guy who looks for shades on the softball field, and runs from base to base like taking a victory lap, slow and unhurried.
“Oh, yes, he can play. .. come on in and see for yourself..”
I was thrilled. Getting my kids to play tennis or like tennis, is my life’s mission.
I went in. He fed Kinglazy few balls and were all nicely and powerfully returned. Hearing the deafening sound of the ball bouncing off my son’s racket, I was really, you know, happy. Happy beyond believe. After the lesson, he came to chat me up. He was an unemployed prosecutor from Florida; waiting to pass the New York State bar. I was thinking, I thought only the actors or artists are starving. By the end of our brief conversation, he offered me his phone number, and yes he’ll be glad to teach them.
The etiquette or common sense goes, he’s not supposed to poach us from the center. But I didn’t care as long as my kids learn to play tennis and enjoy the game. It turned out they like him. And his salesmanship was somewhat subtle (I’m being sarcastic here).
To make thing easy and help him out I paid 10 lessons in advance. The ensuing summer, between our vacations and his schedules, we only finished 9 lessons by September. Then suddenly, he just vanished, along with his cell phone. Then two months later, late November one night as I walked in at Alley Pond for my Friday night game, I heard the familiar voice,
“Hello Mrs. Eng ..” Martin would never address me as Irene, even I told him early on. He claimed that he lost his phone. Hmmmm. Few days after that he called me (please note, I did not give him my phone number again at Alley Pond.) to say he’s putting 3 girls together for intensive training, and Slowpoke would be a great candidate for the group,
‘They’re going to play tourneys starting this spring .. ‘
Slowpoke’s swimming had just ended and said she’ll continue the tennis with him. So here we are, with him again. Met April and Martha… His price has gone up 12.5% from last year, which is ok with me. But what’s not ok with me is he begins charging the same fee when he coaches two or three girls; and more often than not, he’ll fold his arms around his chest and chatting with others, instead, coaching. Excuse me, I’m neither mean, frugal or dumb. An hour paid is an hour of decent work. If you want to split that hour or two with some other kids, you’ve got to adjust your fee accordingly.
Update:
2013: Martin is still around, teaching tennis in my neighborhood.
Simon says
Slowpoke met some of my buddies for the first time, those I never invited for dinner at home. Her impression of Simon is ‘a very jolly man’. He talks non stop, providing advice freely and abundantly, which I enjoy. Sandy is ’smile a lot, very friendly.’ When Sandy learned Slowpoke’s name, she said ‘oh, that’s my son’s first girl friend’s name’ then went on to tell the story. Apparently, her son was only 5 at time, lol. I met Peter for the first time, and he gave me a tip I never heard before that my forehand grip is all wrong, I should turn more western. .. I shall try. It was all adults, but Slowpoke enjoyed it. They cheered for her when she moved me from left to right, from right back to the left. During the off time, she teased me, ‘mom, what’s his name?’ pointing to Simon who’s drinking his warm beer. “Simon.” I pronounced. “mom, it sounds as if salmon.” Ok, I tried, Simon, but still sounds like salmon. Ok salmon or tilapia? We both laughed hard. She just found another word I can’t correctly pronounce.
Puny
As we were approaching the court where Martin and Katie were playing, we noticed immediately a puny girl dressed like gypsy was playing like a pro. I thought Slowpoke can’t serve cause she’s short, then think again. The Puny serves with such power, Roddick would have taken notice. She is small for a 9 years old, clearly enjoys the game, and has been playing for a long time.
